MANHATTAN, Kan. – Feeling
drowsy after a Thanksgiving feast is almost a tradition.

Nowadays, some cite the tryptophan
in turkey breast meat as the reason. But, the amount of that
substance in a typical 3- to 4-ounce serving is unlikely to cause
significant sleepiness, said Karen Blakeslee, Kansas State
University Research and Extension food scientist.

Tryptophan is an amino acid and a
building block of protein. It’s found not only in turkey breast but
also in many other foods, such as red meats and dairy products. It
is a precursor to niacin (a B vitamin) and to serotonin – a compound
formed in the brain, which plays a role in relaxation and sleep
production.

Rather than its being the substance
to blame, however, the more likely culprit for Thanksgiving
drowsiness is the quantity of calories from carbohydrates (starch
and sugar) that Americans tend to consume as part of the holiday
meal, Blakeslee said.

Overeating requires energy. So does
the digestive process for all of that food, the food scientist
explained.

People who exercise restraint in the
amount they eat usually do not experience after-dinner fatigue, she
said.

More information on food, nutrition
and health is available at county and district K-State Research and
Extension offices and on Kansas Extension’s Web site:
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu.

“Perennial plants need to go into
the year’s cold season with moist soil, as a protection against
winter damage. So, when we’re having a dry fall like this one, you
need to irrigate at least once,” said Ward Upham, who coordinates
the Master Gardener program for Kansas State University Research and
Extension.

This rule applies for all landscape
plants, he said, including those that appear to be dormant.

But, whether plants are watered or
not can be a matter of life and death for two special categories,
Upham warned. Newly planted trees and shrubs need careful monitoring
for soil moisture whenever temperatures are above freezing, because
they still have limited root systems. Even during the depths of
winter, evergreens can easily lose foliage moisture and become
dehydrated, because they retain their leaves year-round.

“Just wetting the top of the soil
won’t get the job done, however - even if you sprinkle several
times,” the horticulturist said. “By the time soil temperatures
reach 28 degrees, all the little water-absorbing roots near the soil
surface are dead.”

As a result, plants have to rely on
their deeper roots.

“They need a good, deep watering
with moisture’s reaching a least a foot down in the soil,” Upham
said. “You can check with a metal rod or wood dowel to see whether
you’ve reached that watering depth. Either of those tools will
easily penetrate moist soil, but stop when it reaches dry soil.”

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Adrian J.
Polansky, secretary of Kansas´ Department of Agriculture, has
received Kansas State University’s 2006 Distinguished Service in
Agriculture Award for Extension and International Service.

In remarks after accepting the award Oct. 25, Polansky briefly
addressed the changes, challenges and opportunities in agriculture.

A willingness to change will be key to the state’s future successes
in agriculture. Agriculture has experienced more changes in the last
100 years than in centuries before, he said.

“Technology will continue to change how we work,” added Polansky,
who cited three challenges: enhancements that are driven by public
and private investments in new technologies, adoption, and
acceptance.

"The choices may be extraordinary, and they may mean life and death
for people around the world. Advancements in yield and production
will need to keep up with demands for food production," Polansky
said.

The state’s agriculture leader also offered advice for students
attending the award ceremony.

"Consider your basic education – be it in genetics, marketing or
business – as a foundation for lifelong values," Polansky said. "Be
willing to change, ready to adapt, and continue to learn."

Polansky earned a degree in agronomy from K-State in 1972.

4) Turkey Day Snow Unusual, But Possible

MANHATTAN, Kan. - November in the
central High Plains can shift within hours from mild fall weather to
an intense winter storm, according to Mary Knapp, State of Kansas
climatologist.

“Fortunately, the National Weather
Service expects this Thanksgiving to be a relatively mild holiday,”
she said. “Even so, Thanksgiving ice and snow storms have been
frequent and severe enough over the years to become a part of Kansas
folklore.

“They’re one reason why Plains
residents truly believe the old saying: ‘If you don’t like the
weather here, just wait a while.’”

Two years ago, for example, a pair
of winter storms bracketed Turkey Day. On Nov. 23, 2004, up to 8
inches of snow fell on areas from Meade to Olathe, Kan. Five days
later a second winter storm brought a mix of snow, ice and freezing
drizzle across the state.

“It was dangerous, and it was a
mess,” Knapp said.

An even more notable storm, however,
lasted from Nov. 25 to 27 in 1983. Heavy snow, ice and high winds
closed down everything from Denver to Minneapolis - including the
airports and interstates.

“Many Thanksgiving travelers were
stranded far from their destination,” the climatologist said.
“Nowadays, traffic accidents cause more winter deaths than exposure
to the cold does. But, these kinds of events keep reminding us that
it still pays to be careful out there.”

Knapp heads the official Kansas
Weather Data Library, housed in Manhattan, Kan., with Kansas State
University Research and Extension agronomy programs.

5) Kids a Cookin’ – Scrambled Eggs and
Potatoes

This easy recipe takes
ordinary scrambled eggs and turns them into a hearty, tasty
healthful breakfast - still cooked in just one pan. Provided by the
Family Nutrition Program at Kansas State University, the recipe
makes four 1-cup servings.

Kids a Cookin’ is an educational program produced by Kansas State
University Research and Extension’s Family Nutrition Program. More
information, more recipes and cooking tips, and a link to a Spanish
version are available on the Kids a Cookin’ Web site:
http://www.kidsacookin.ksu.edu.

K-State Research and
Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural
Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to
generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans.
Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has
county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and
research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus in
Manhattan.